Choke holds & Broken bones
by SwordStitcher
Summary: A break in goes very wrong for Riddler and Switch. Switch is being pursued by Robin as she attempts to tell Riddler Batman's here. Unfortunately, he already knows.


Her footsteps bounced off the polished tiles as she ran. The strip lights above her were buzzing again, but she could barely hear them over the pounding of blood in her ears and the gasping breaths she took as she ran.

Terrified, she looked behind her. He'd been there a minute ago. Boy wonder number 2, Robin. Where Robin was, Batman wasn't going to be far behind.

She had to warn Riddler.

This Caper was doomed from the outset. She'd tried to warn him of that. The anti-theft alarm had an anti-theft alarm that she hadn't anticipated.

It had gone off, and she managed to silence it eventually but not before getting a bump on the head from Riddler.

He lived on information. He was more likely to hit a server farm than a bank. The information wasn't always for other parties though; sometimes he was simply trolling for information on Batman. Others, he needed intimate information to plan a heist.

Sometimes it was just because he was bored.

She skidded on the polished floor the last few steps and rammed into the door, it burst open and she took a few shaky steps into the room.

She was looking behind her, about to suggest running when she heard the voice. It was deep and it sounded like he'd been gargling with gravel. It made the hairs on the back of her neck rise.

She turned, Batman had Riddler held off the ground by the front of his shirt. Blood was slowly dripping onto his green shirt and was soaking into the purple tie. His face was a bloody mess. 'Where are the bombs Riddler?' Batman was demanding as he shook the stick thin man.

'Would you like a clue, Dork Knight?' Riddler spat with a laugh.

Batman raised a fist, which made Riddler flinch and Switch felt pure, molten fury encompass her.

She felt the dormant nanites in her body come to life and, still furious, she pulled the cables bolted to the ceiling down effortlessly.

They wrapped themselves around Batman's fist, much to his surprise. She pulled more down and had them loop around his throat. With a yank of her fist he was raised from the floor and began to choke as she hanged him.

Riddler dropped to the floor but managed to drag himself up. He looked at her for a few seconds before he limped away.

Batman was past red, going to purple, but she could see tinges of ash grey there too.

Distantly, she knew he didn't have long left before unconsciousness and then he would only be a few more seconds of choking away from death. She could stop now….

She heard footsteps behind her and suddenly remembered Robin. She turned to find him, and met a boot coming the other way.

* * *

Switch woke some time later; the sun had risen and was casting healthy warmth across the bed. Her nose was throbbing painfully and one hand had been shackled to the bed guards.

Coupled with the smell of disinfectant, the bars on the windows and the rotten mattress she was lying on she came to the conclusion she'd been dropped off at Arkham infirmary.

She rolled over and saw cards on the table beside her. Obviously they didn't believe she was suicidal or they wouldn't have been in reach. Gently, she tugged down the first. It was by far the more colourful of the two. It was bright green and the bold letters were purple.

The front simply read SORRY.

Riddler? Apologising? She flipped open the card and read the riddle.

_I may only be given, but never bought. Sinners seek me but saints do not. What am I?_

Underneath that was the sprawling, spidery writing of Riddler. See you soon.

Well, that sounded ominous.

She replaced the card and pulled down a plain white card with a bunch of questionable flowers on the front. Inside it simply read 'Get well soon. – Andy.'

Then, she saw the hand mirror that had been hidden under the cards. Grimacing, she decided to see how badly she looked.

Her nose was still caked in blood; it was swollen and purple, practically hidden under the haphazard bandages. But the bruising had also spread upwards and had given her two big black eyes to go with the boot imprint on her face.

She stared at herself in horror, and then, growing anger. The mirror was hurtled towards the wall with a scream, and the entire infirmary heard her shrieking as orderlies descended on her bed.

'I'll get Boy Blunder for this!'

* * *

A/N: The answer's Forgiveness.


End file.
